Tube frame for axminster looms



Dec. 27, 1938. E R H LMES 1 2,141,653

. 'T UBE FRAME FOR AXMINSTER LO OMS Filed Feb 12, 1938 FIG! H55 anPatented Dec. 27, 1938 TUBE FOR AXMINSTER LOOMS ElbridgeR.-Hohnes,'Worcester, Mass, assigncr to Crompton & Knowles Loom Works,Worcester, 'Mass, a corporation of "Massachusetts ApplicationFebruary12, 1938, Serial No. 190,256

2 Claims. (01. 139-10) This invention .relatestoAxminster tube framesandthe mechanism by which they are .attached to the transporting chainof the loom.

Axminster tube frames ordinarily comprise an elongated .bar fromthelower :endoi which projecta series of narrow tuftyarn tubes toreceive threads unwound from av spool supported .onithe bar. These tubeframes are transported by means of a pair of chains and are placedloneat var-time in transfer position where theyareadetachedfrom the chains.Thechains are ordinarily located behind arrd abovethe loom and pass overandiunder guide sprockets or pulleysso .that the tube frames are firstabove and then below :the chains.

It has been customary to attachthe tube frame to the chains at pointsapproximately aligned with the spoolaxis so that the greaterpartof theweight was disposed at one side of the chain. When passing from onesideof a sprocket .to the other, therefore, the attaching hooks are subjectto considerable strain due to the fact that :the weightis not balanced.It .isian importantobject of my present invention to construct the tubeframeand chain sprocketsso'thatthe connections between the tube frame.and the chain'are located at a point intermediate the longitudinalcenters of .the spool and the longitudinal bar. This constructionrequiresa relative lowering of the chain with respect to the yarnspoolsand'a these weights practically balances the other.

This condition will exist when the transverse center of gravity, whenproduced longitudinally of the bar, passes through the'chain, or betweenthe top and bottom points of attachment between the chain and tubeframe.

With these and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, my invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein a convenient embodiment of myinvention is set forth,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation partly in section of a tube frame andassociated parts made according to my present invention,

Fig.2 is a detailed. vertical .section on line.2-2

55' Of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on line 33 of Fig. :1, v

Fig. 4-isan end View looking in the direction of arrow 4, Fig. l, theclutch being omitted. for the sake-of clearness,

Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 4-but on a reduced scale and showingthe transporting chain carrying several tube frames,

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic'view setting forth the relationbetween: thecenters of gravity'of the yarn spools and the carrier bar with respectto the point of attachment of the tube frame to the transporting chain,and

Fig. is a diagrammatic view showing the arrangement of the transportingchain. and its guide sprockets.

Referring to the drawing, the tube frame It comprises a hollow metallicbar I! having top and bottom sections i2 and i3, respectively, andfront-and back walls M and i5, respectively. As shown herein the carrierbar is provided with a stiffening filler 1'6 which may be made of woodand there are attached to the front wall a series of depending yarntubes ll.

Above the bar as shown in Fig. 1 is a yarn spool S having a barrel 26from which projects an end gudgeon 2! located on the longitudinal axisof the spool.

A clutch C is mounted on a carrier arm 22 and is rocked with respectthereto by anarm 23. The'arms 22 and 23 areoperated by well-known loomparts not set forth herein. The loom has a pull-over shaft 25 locatedabove the fell of the cloth and having a step by step angular motionderived'from known mechanism. There are two transporting chains .26, oneon each side of the loom, which extend upwardly and rearwardly in somesuch manner'as that illustrated for instance in patent to Wyman andHutchins No. 677,302, and indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 7.

The matter thus far described, except as modifled hereinafter, may beconstructed and operated in a manner similar to that found in previouslyknown Axminster looms.

In carrying my present invention into effect I secure to the under sideof the top section 52 an L-shaped member 36 shown best in Fig. 1. Theouter end of this member is bent upwardly to form a tongue 3! to extendbetween the members of the double link 32 of the transporting, chain.This member may be secured to the transporting bar in any approvedmanner. as by means of screws 33, and there may be secured to theuppersurface thereof at a point lying between the end of the carrier barand the tongue 3| some form of spool bearing, such as that indicated at35. The horizontal foot of this bearing may be welded to the memberwhile the vertical portion receives the gudgeon 2! and not only affordsa bearing in which the spool may rotate but also holds the spool at afixed distance from the carrier bar. permanently to the carrier bar butare removable by means of the screws 33 when renewal of the spoolbearing and tongue 3! is necessary.

The mechanism for detachably connecting the tube frame to thetransporting chain is mounted for sliding motion longitudinally of thecarrier bar and comprises a U-shaped slide 43 having top and bottomsections 4| and 42, respectively, which engage the undersides of thebracket member 30 and the top surface of the bottom section [3 of thebar, respectively. A compression spring 43 is interposed between thefiller l6 and the vertical wall 44 of the slide and serves to push theslide outwardly.

The upper section 4! of the slide has welded thereto a rectangularhollow block or hook element shown at 53 in Fig. 2. This hook member isextended under the section 4! as at 5! and welded thereto, while thesides 52 extend upwardly and are connected together by a bridge 53 fromone edge of which projects a supporting hook 54 shown for instance inFig. l. The outer edges 55 of the sides 52 engage the inner chain link32 as shown in Fig. 1 to prevent the spring 43 from moving the slide outof the hollow bar. The lower section 42 is projected beyond the end ofthe carrier bar a considerable distance, as indicated at 56, and affordsmeans by'which the slide can be moved against the action of the springto tube frame releasing position. In addition to the method alreadydescribedto limit action of spring 43, I also project the tongue 3! highenough to engage hook 54, and this relation holds the slide in placewhen the tube frame is out of the loom.

The clutch C is formed with a vertical wall 83 from which projects atongue 5| located a short distance above the floor 62of the clutch. Thelatter has side wings 33 which are for the purpose of engaging the frontand back vertical walls I 4 and B5 of the bar to guide the latter andafford a control by which the tube frame may be moved angularly duringthe wiping-in and pulling-off operations when a row of tufts is beingformed. The tongue 6! is located above the extended end 56 and thelatter in turn is spaced slightly above the floor 62.

In the operation of the mechanism thus far described the chain is fedprogressively with a step by step motion and comes to rest periodicallyin the position shown in Fig. 5 with one of the tube frames verticallyunder the pull-over shaft 25. At this time the spring 43 is holding thehook 54 yieldingly over the inner chain link 32 and the vertical edge 55of the hook element is bearing against a chain link to prevent motion ofthe slide out of the hollow carrier bar. The tongue 3| is locatedbetween the links 32 as shown in Fig. 1 and the clutch is spaced fromthe slide. As soon as the transporting chain comes to rest the clutchwill be moved inwardly by mechanism not shown but well understood andthe tongue 3| will pass over the end 56 and the floor will en gage thebottom l3 of the carrier bar to lift the same slightly for the purposeof relieving pressure between the hook 54 and the chain link on which itrests. Further inward motion of the clutch brings the verticalwall 50into contact with the end 56 and preferably also against the The partsjust described are fastened lower parts of the edges 55 of the hookelement to move the slide inwardly to the dotted position shown in Fig.'1 against the action of spring 43. Both arms 4| and 42 of the slide aretherefore pressed by the clutch, and the possibility of cramping isgreatly reduced. This motion is con- 7.

32. The tube frame is therefore controlled within narrow limits as toits vertical position by the clutch as the latter moves toward and fromcloth forming position.

After the wiping-in and pulling-off operations of the tube frame theclutch is moved toward the chain and the tongue 3| enters between thelinks 32, upward motion continuing until the hook 54 is slightly abovethe top of adjacent link 32, whereupon the clutch will move outwardly oraway from the center of the tube frame to permit spring 43 toreestablish holding connection between the chain and the hook 54.

An inspection of Fig. 1 shows that the point of attachment between thetube frame and the transporting chain is located at a point between theaxis of the spool and the longitudinal axis of the carrier bar. As shownin Fig. 6 the arrow a represents the downward force due to the weight ofthe yarn spools'while arrow 1) indicates the direction along which theweight of the carrier bar is exerted. The line C lies intermediate thetop and bottom of the links32 as viewed in Fig. l, or between the hook54 and the lower part of the tongue 3|, for any and all positions of thetube frame as the latter moves along the loom overhead with thetransporting chains. The location of line C can be so chosen as to liesubstantially along the transverse center of gravity of the tube frame,the Weight of the spool substantially balancing the weight of the tubeframe. I

In one particular instance the loaded spools weigh approximately ninepounds while the carrier bar weighs approximately fifteen pounds andwith such weights the location of the chain can be such that the centerof gravity of the tube frame 5 will pass through the chain link.

As heretofore constructed the chain has been in alignment with the spoolaxis and previous pull-over sprockets have been. made accordingly.

I find that by supporting the tube frame at a point intermediate thespool and carrier bar axes, more room must be allowed for the spools andthe sprocket 10 is therefore of somewhat greater diameter than thoseheretofore employed. This sprocket may have acentral web i! withrecesses 12 for the reception of tongues 3i and hooks 54. Projectingradially from the web between the recesses 12 are spaced plates '53which receive the single links of the transporting chain. The sprocketHi may be secured to thepull-over shaft '25 in any approved manner andis given the aforementioned step by step motion to feed the tube framesone at a time to delivery position. The chain links are madecorrespondingly over sprockets 83 and undersprockets 8!. When passingfrom one side to the other of a sprocket the tube frame shifts somewhatrelatively to.

the chain, but the forces brought into play during the shift are reducedto a minimum by my invention.

From the foregoing it will be seen that my improved tube frame is soconstructed that it is attached to the transporting chain at pointslying between the spool axis and the longitudinal axis of the carrierbar. By this construction the weight of the spool is partly orcompletely balanced by the weight of the bar, depending upon thelocation of the hook and tongue, so that when passing along the overheadfor the loom such turning strains as occur are greatly reduced It willfurther be seen that the hook and tongue are located close to thelongitudinal axis of the bar with the result that the distances throughwhich the strains act is comparatively small. It will also be seen thatthe clutch preferably engages surfaces of the slide lying on oppositesides of the longitudinal axis of the bar for the purpose of preventingbinding or cramping of the slide as it moves inwardly to release thetube frame. It will be seen that the sprocket and the chain areproportioned to permit suspension of the tube frame at a point betweenthe spool and bar axes.

Having thus described my invention it will be seen that changes andmodifications may be made therein by those skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention and I do not wishto be limited to the details herein disclosed, but what I claim is:

1. In a tube frame for an Axminster loom having a transporting chain, ahollow carrier bar, a hook member having parallel spaced arms slidablealong interior surfaces of the bar, resilient 'means between the bar andthe hook member tending to move the latter outwardly, the upper armprojecting beyond the. end of the bar and having a chain engaging hookthereon, the lower arm projecting beyond the bar in position to beengaged for inward pressing, a tongue rigid with the bar to engage thechain, and a clutch having a floor and a projection spaced from andabove said floor, said clutch movable to place the floor below and theprojection above the lower arm of said hook member and move the latteragainst the action of the resilient means to disconnect the hook fromthe chain.

2. In a tube frame for an Axminster loom having a transporting chain, ahollow carrier bar, a hook member slidable within the bar and having twospaced parallel parts the outer ends of which are separated from eachother, a chain engaging element on one of said parts of the hook member,the other of said parts to be pressed for detachment of the hook memberfrom the chain, resilient means between the carrier bar and the hookmember tending to move the latter outwardly to hold the chain engagingelement in supporting relation with respect to the chain, a tongue rigidwith respect to the bar to engagethe chain, a clutch to engage thesecond named part to move the hook member against the action of theresilient means, and a projection on the clutch to enter the spacebetween said parts and. lie over the second named part.

Ell-BRIDGE R. HOLMES

